10/09/2026
I've been thinking about my book The Last Rose: Stories of Tomorrow.
The character known simply as The Rose documents the hopes, fears and dreams of the people arriving on Mars. She keeps a record of humanity — not just what we have done, but what we hoped we could become.
And lately I've been thinking about that word: hope.
Because, if I'm honest, here in the UK at the moment, sometimes it feels difficult to move past despair.
We look at Russia, Iran, Israel, wars and threats, and you can't help wondering: Where did it all go wrong?
Then I remind myself that, in truth, it has always gone wrong.
Humanity has been fighting, killing and exploiting one another for thousands of years. Slavery. Genocide. Wars upon wars. And so often the victims are the innocent — children, families and the vulnerable.
I've spent years going down the rabbit hole of history and politics. I've looked at different sides. I've changed my mind about things. I've supported people and opinions that others strongly disagree with, and I've also walked away from views and people when I believed they were wrong.
Eventually, I reached a point where I had to stop.
Not because I stopped caring.
Quite the opposite.
I cared so much that learning more and more about the world was beginning to affect my own peace of mind.
So I decided there had to be a point where I said enough.
What matters most to me is the people I love.
My daughters. My autistic grandson. Their mental health. Their safety. Their future.
Perhaps some people will say that's selfish.
Maybe it is.
But I've learnt that I cannot carry the suffering of the entire world on my shoulders. I can care about humanity without destroying myself worrying about humanity.
And then there is the planet.
We have done extraordinary things, but we have also systematically damaged the beautiful world we were given. Greed, lies, manipulation, exploitation and the endless desire for more have caused enormous suffering.
Politics can be a very dark rabbit hole. I wouldn't advise anyone to jump down it unless they're prepared for some very uncomfortable truths.
I've seen enough in my nearly sixty years to know that human beings are capable of extraordinary kindness — and extraordinary cruelty.
I've experienced prejudice personally. I've seen people judged because of their race, their religion, their sexuality or their political beliefs.
I've also experienced incredible kindness from people from completely different backgrounds.
The kindest men I've ever known have included a Pakistani, an Indian man and an Arabic man. Woman Iranian.
I've stood up for trans rights and received criticism for it.
I've also expressed strong opinions about children and medical intervention, because I believe children deserve the time and freedom to grow into themselves before making decisions that can permanently change their lives.
My basic belief is actually very simple:
Live and let live.
Be whoever you want to be. Love whoever you want to love. Dress however you want to dress. If your son wants to dance around my garden in a fairy costume, I'll probably smile and let him get on with it.
Maybe he'll grow up to join the army and have three children.
Maybe he'll marry a drag queen.
Who knows?
That's the point.
We don't know who children will become.
Let them grow.
And perhaps that's what I was really trying to say when I wrote The Last Rose.
The Rose isn't interested in winning political arguments.
She isn't interested in which side was right.
She records hope.
She records the dreams of people who left a damaged Earth because they wanted something better for their children.
So if I were sitting on Mars, in front of The Rose, and she asked me what I wanted her to put into her journal, I think I know what I'd say.
I'd say:
I hope one day humanity learns what love, acceptance and kindness truly mean.
I hope we stop teaching our children to hate people they've never met.
I hope we learn that being different doesn't make someone our enemy.
I hope we stop destroying the planet that gave us life.
And most of all...
I hope Earth recovers from the terrible abuse humanity has inflicted upon it.
Because perhaps hope isn't believing that humanity has always been good.
Perhaps hope is believing that, despite everything we've done, we can still choose to become better.
That is what The Last Rose is ultimately about.
Not escaping Earth.
Carrying Earth forward.
Love Fiona ### ✨️ 🚀 🌎
